STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1717
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2023
RE: H.R. No. 71
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2023
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.R. No. 71 entitled:
"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL AND OFFICE OF PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TO COLLABORATE WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO UPDATE CHAPTER 343, HAWAII REVISED STATUTES, TO REFLECT ALL FACTORS THAT SHALL BE CONSIDERED FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT PROCESS, AND REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO HOLD PUBLIC FORUMS ON THE FUTURE USE OF STATE LANDS CURRENTLY LEASED TO THE MILITARY,"
begs leave to report as follows:
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, and State Environmental Advisory Council.
Your Committee
finds that the United States Army's sixty-five-year lease of approximately
twenty-three thousand acres on Hawaii Island is scheduled to expire in August
2029. Before a new military lease can be
issued for these lands, an environmental impact statement and public review of
the proposed use must be completed. Your
Committee further finds that there is a concern that private entities
contracted with the United States Army to prepare the necessary study and
documents may be incentivized to find that the proposed use of the land would
have "no significant impact" as such a finding would encourage the
United States Army to use the services of the private entity in the
future. This measure is intended to
ensure that the environmental impact of any proposed use of state lands by the
United States Army or other military branches are accurately assessed by
requesting the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Planning and
Sustainable Development, Environmental Advisory Council, and University of
Hawai‘i to
collaborate to develop and recommend amendments to chapter 343, Hawaii Revised
Statutes.
Your Committee has
amended this measure by:
(1) Requesting the Office of Planning and
Sustainable Development, rather than the Department of Land and Natural Resources,
to post the report and proposed amendments to its website;
(2) Requesting the Environmental Advisory Council, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, and Department of Land and Natural Resources to convene public forums in communities near state lands that are currently leased to the military by December 31, 2024;
(3) Changing its title to make technical amendments; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 71, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 71, H.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,
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____________________________ LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair |
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